Ash Hayward – Sideways– Album Review

Hailing from New Zealand (by way of South Africa), Ash Hayward has been making music since picking up a guitar in high school. With one of his more recent releases, 2023’s Sideways, Hayward presents a mostly instrumental, multi-genre affair. Does Sideways, which, musically, is a bit of a side turn from Hayward’s usual output, live up to his overall brand of quietly pronounced quality? Let’s hit the highlights.

Wait. Who does what?

Hayward does it all.

Due to recurring back problems, Hayward was unable to pick up/play a guitar for this album. However, he turned to the use of samples as the driving force behind this project, resulting in a completely new creative endeavor.

Time to face the music…

Sideways begins with “Chicago Twenty-Twelve,” an homage to a rough city, and the amazing artists who fled from it, mortally, far too soon. The music begins as a muffled, dirty piano accompanying an electronic hip-hop beat. And then more electronic percussion joins something resembling the “clonk” of a wooden block. It’s an interesting choice, and reverb is used to great effect, granting the sound a discernible scope and separation.

Track #3, the title track, begins with plucked, rubbery bass, piano, and a classic drum kit sample. Joining this bouncy refrain is a modern-but-analog-leaning synth that paints the song with a simultaneous playfulness-meets-lament.

Track #4, “Jenna the Mountain Queen,” is immediately affecting. It’s dreamy trip hop with chiming, fuzzy organs much softer than any animal or pillow. A nice midsection occurs when the percussion breaks for coffee, and those soft chimes and subtle, trembling strings take us to journey’s end. Gorgeous track, and I understand why Hayward considers it his personal favorite.

Track #7, “Oceans in Heaven,” starts with a nice, clean guitar riff. And then we step slowly into a temperate lake of shimmering synths, a tight drum kit beat, flute, and a bending, cosmic lead.

Track #9, “Nostalgia,” starts with that great-sounding drum kit, a warm, muted, glassy synth pad, and watery droplets breaking against hollow, chrome tubes in a persistent, percussive pelting.

And our final track, “British Blue,” starts with wah-wah affected, delayed guitar notes, becoming a haunting, clean guitar riff that lays the song’s ominous mortar. With percussion, a layering of delayed synth effects, coppery electronic hits, and more muted synth chords, “British Blue” carries a bit of darkness until its final, delay-drenched departure.

But is it good?

Doing homework? Sitting by the fire? Want to chill the heck out? These brief, pleasant, and emotive songs will absolutely direct you towards something closely resembling peace.

In fact, as I continue this review, I find I’m inspired by the foggy, percussive environments, and typing each character along with each beat.

Recommended, and a truly enjoyable – and repeatable – listen.

—-

BELOW: Listen to Ash Hayward and check him out on Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Music. Please support Ash Hayward by visiting him online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing his music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.